Not one, but two 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air sedans together

One of my Canadian subscribers, Martin Beneteau drove his 59 Bel Air four door sedan over, from Windsor, Ontario so we could check each others car out. His Bel Air is a super clean solid Arizona car. A few years back I saw it on the news that was covering the Dream Cruise. I though, wow, what a nice Bel Air sedan. I finally got to see it in person.
Windsor is just across the river from Detroit, so it's not far at all. Canada and the U.S. just removed all covid restrictions, so crossing is much easer now. Next summer I'll do a video of going to Canada, maybe one way through the tunnel, the other over the Ambassador bridge, of course videoing it, to check out some car events in Windsor. I'm sure we..... myself and my viewers.... will see some new cruisers I never have seen or videoed, to video.
No doubt Martin will respond to your comments if you direct the question to him..... so ask away in the comments.
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[@Martin48964]

Thanks Howard for showcasing my Belair. It was great to see the "girls" together. I've wanted to do this for a few years now but covid got in the way with boarder restrictions. Hoping this is the first of many where we can get together. I had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon with you. Maybe we could go out to Big Boy for lunch next time. Take care my friend.

[@stephenholland5930]

That's a beautiful car you have, Martin. Is it a 327? Cheers from the UK.

[@OldCarAlley]

Yes, I throughly enjoyed the day too. Sounds great, there is a Big Boy not far..... they use to have a really good cruise night there, until covid.

[@martinbeneteau309]

@@stephenholland5930 thank you. It has a small V8, 283.

[@caryd67]

Big Boy? As in a Hudson Big Boy?? Man I hope you make a video on my favourite truck ever….

[@peterhallock9486]

Wow great to see. I went with my fatherto pickup our new 59 4dr Bel-Air blue and white roof and decklid. Was a straight six and 3 on the tree. I learned to drive on that car. Was a beauty🥰🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@williamschoemann4209]

That was fun. My first car was a beige '59 Bel Air four door sedan. It had the 283 with four barrel, three-speed with overdrive. My Pop bought it for me for my high school graduation '68. He got it inexpensively because it was dented. I picked a bumper from a junk yard, and installed it myself. I had the dents repaired, and the whole thing painted, at Earl Scheib. That was back when the paint job was $29.95. I bought seat covers, and had them installed, at Sears. I was very happy and proud.

[@OldCarAlley]

I remember those Earl Scheib paint job's.... and their TV ad's. A friend of my dad had his car painted back in the day. It was a decent paint job too.

[@xfhghe]

The 1959 bronze Bel Air was my Dad's car and what I grew up with. It had a distinctive sound and I knew when he was driving in.

[@miketaormino6761]

I love this video ! My great aunt had an identical Bel Air in that bronze color that she bought new and kept until she passed away in the nineties ! It was absolutely a mint original that she had garage kept the entire time she owned it ….. sadly no one really was interested in buying a four door sedan in the nineties …… my grandfather sold the car for $700 dollars ! Thanks for posting this it brought me back to some wonderful memories ….

[@nonelost1]

For shame! Your great aunt's car in that same condition today would be worth closer to $7000 dollars today. Four door cars are underrated IMO. Just ask anyone who always rides in the back seat.

[@winkeemanley1820]

My late dad had a 1958 Bel Air. Greetings from Cape Town South Africa.

[@bradhoward9055]

Great to see Martin’s Bel Air and to meet him, what nice gentleman. Thanks for sharing the experience.

[@martinbeneteau309]

Thanks Brad for the compliments. Howard is a great guy and his car knowledge seems to be endless. I could listen to him all day!

[@Gogos05]

I would love to know how you installed the carpeting on the lower door panels as my 59 has the same issue you did as the lower door panels are in bad shape, but the upper is is great condition.

[@bobpierce115]

Even though these are Bel Airs midway between the Impala and Biscayne, they seem (to me) to still be closer to the Impala. I love both of them--especially parked together!

[@portlandon]

Both handsome cars. That copper color looks beautiful.

[@OldCarAlley]

The paint just glowed, it looked amazing!

[@martinbeneteau309]

Thanks Don.

[@majorpayne5289]

👍Good stuff H! Beautiful day for the video as well. 2 sweet old rides that are loved, ya can’t beat it. Thx H!

[@davidbush5323]

Sisters from another mother love them both ❤️

[@martinbeneteau309]

David, I chuckled at your comment!

[@legrandyaka2013]

wow they are beautiful

[@commandertopgun]

Beautiful '59 cars wow, incredibly Stunning

[@kjchicago1]

Very Interesting 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedans

[@daviddeborde2542]

Wow, talk about selling a 60s car to buy a 70s small car, my dad sold a 61 Impala and bought a Pinto wagon. Your videos always bring back memories, haha!

[@OldCarAlley]

Gas had gone up to a whopping dollar a gallon in the early 80's, so everyone was buying economy cars..... All my friends got rid of their "first car", most were 60's tanks, to get a more economical car.

[@dcformee123]

My first car was a 1971 Cadillac sedan DeVille 472 engine that was not a gas sipper by no means.

[@OldCarAlley]

@@dcformee123 My friend Tom had the same car..... it was a white one..... though his "first car" was a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible. He bought it in 76 for a few hundred dollars. His dad thought he was crazy, with gas prices headed toward a dollar a gallon.... it was maybe 70 cents a gallon in 76. He sold the car in 78 for $700. It's still around. It sold at an auction a few years back for over $150,000...... Tom has always owned and driven Cadillac's as long as I have known him.

[@roberthastings6270]

GREAT video showcasing the 2 cars together Howard !

[@klonols]

Absolutely fantastic Cars. I own my 59 Bel Air for 33 Years now. Love it

[@OldCarAlley]

Thats awesome! Are you near Detroit? Martin wants to cruise Woodward with the two 59 Bel Air's this summer. A third 59 would be fun.

[@klonols]

@@OldCarAlley No, sorry. I live in Germany

[@OldCarAlley]

@@klonols Yea that would be a bit of a drive to get here LOL.

[@jamesfox2579]

Incredibly Beauuutiful Cars!💕

[@waynegood9233]

I had a 59 copper colored 2 door Belair sedan V8 3 on the tree in late 1966 and until May 1967 when I went into the Navy and had to sell the car

[@josephferreira4917]

This was charming video to watch thanks for the memories.

[@nerradnosnhoj5122]

Wicked Cars here , thank you for the video

[@robfmas]

Two really nice BelAirs. Great cars guys

[@rextownsend5101]

My uncle drove a 59 Biscayne as a company car and then bought it from the company when the fleet was upgraded. I have many happy memories riding in that 59 and I loved the look of the 59 IP.

[@hendrikaoneill3191]

i just love the old Chevys,the 55 is beautyful,but the 59 is still my favourite although I never owned one.

[@loubrandi]

Thanks Howard! Great video, great cars. What can I say.....

[@eutimiochavez415]

Love the cat eyes .

[@HoglyStevenson]

two beauties

[@hughmackellar7941]

That was neat. You'd enjoy the Bothwell Auto Show. Roughly 1500 cars and trucks show up. Hope to see you there next year.

[@OldCarAlley]

I have seen KZbin videos of that show. I dose look like a good show. I'm not really into entering shows, but do enjoy walking threw them, to see all the cars. I can't make a commitment now, but hopefully can go next year.

[@martinbeneteau309]

Hugh, were you at Bothwell this year? Boy was it hot! You can't beat the 50/50 draw! Hopefully Howard can make it to the show next year. He and his subscibers would love it. There's so many cars he's going to have to make more than one video!

[@mr.classicalmusic5607]

My grandparents had a 1959 gray with a white top and trunk.

[@slavagerganov-eh2ve]

stern of the ship - masterpiece

[@IowaClassicCars]

now those are some nice 59s!

[@OldCarAlley]

Yes Martins Bel Air is super nice..... It was a fun days of 59's!

[@iansaddington6057]

Good for you both Howard and Martin. So pleased that you got together for this one. The cars are both looking great and I take my hat off you you guys for not only preserving these beauties but more importantly documenting them out in the world to display what “real” cars really are. Thanks again.

[@martinbeneteau309]

It was a pleasure to be a part of this video. Someone really took care of my car before I bought it. Usual for a 4 door to be in such good shape for never being a frame off restoration.

[@paulsheehan5010]

The Bel Air, was also called a Pontiac Laurentian, which wasn't a wide tracking U.S Catalina, Catalina, came std. with a 389 c.i.d, with a three speed manual, or a four speed automatic, three speed in later years.

[@JONMEREDITH]

Nice video, Howard! I am frothing at the mouth in anticipation of a new project car soon. After watching a plethora of great videos on the Galaxy, I can't hardly wait! I really love your videos. Thank you for hours of entertainment !

[@OldCarAlley]

I'v been keeping my eye out..... I did like the 67 Ford wagon, but it needed more work than I wanted to put into it. If I was planing on keeping it, I would have bought it. I did look at a car yesterday.... it will be in a future video. I didn't buy it.... it's not really the type of car I want to work on (1976 Buick Electra 225 Limited two door coupe), but you never know. If it was under $1000 I might have bought it.

[@bobwilson758]

Nice cars gentlemen ! Thanks -

[@josephackeret7911]

1959 Chevy was the most exotic full size car they ever made.

[@OldCarAlley]

Yea, the styling is wild!

[@bigmountain7561]

I would love to see a modern mechanic know what a hydrometer is used for. Lol!!!

[@OldCarAlley]

They wouldn't have a clue, with the batteries being sealed for decades now. I have several battery hydrometers. I should do a "do you know what this tool is" in some of my videos.

[@nonelost1]

Howard, when you fix your window washer, if you remove your single chamber master cylinder in order to access your window washer, you might want to think about doing what your friend did with his '59, install a dual chamber m/c. It ain't fun to have your brakes go out on you on the freeway, like I did once. Lucky for me I had a dual chamber m/c.

[@OldCarAlley]

I just installed a new master cylinder. It been a trouble free single system for 63 years now, because I maintain it and keep an eye on the system, so I doubt I'll ever change it. The parking brake works well as an emergency brake. I have used the parking brake to stop cars I have bought with zero brakes in the past.

[@dietersmythe9649]

Hi Howard, Martin’s ‘59 was just featured in the recent Hagerty Drivers Club magazine, nice but yours should have been featured!! Just as nice.

[@OldCarAlley]

Yes, he stated it would be featured.... I need to check my issue out.

[@al-mansoural-sharif8576]

Definitely beautiful

[@paulsheehan5010]

Beautiful Car!

[@DCR52]

Awesome video !! I'm not a fan of fender skirts. Lol

[@bobpierce115]

I really hate them too, David. See them on '57 Chevy convertibles and they're hideous. Also the front and rear bumper guards, and dorky fender mirrors. These shitty monstrosities apparently were "official options" offered to really ruin that car's appearance. Uggghk.

[@davids6533]

Very nice cars! Thanks for posting this video! It brought back some great memories.

[@TigerDominic-uh1dv]

I'll take the 59 over the 60 any time ❤it

[@user-jp5di2gu9x]

Красотки !!!

[@nicholas790]

Well Howard, at least Martin's car doesn't have those dice on the mirror....hint hint! Looks like a perfect padded dash too! How is that even possible? I think you need to get that chrome trim for those "cat eye" tail lights. I must admit they do look nice! One thing you have on Martin is your exhaust, it sounds much better on yours.

[@OldCarAlley]

Martin stated he needs new exhaust. He wants to put duels on it. I don't think he had a dash pad.... it was finished correctly in a dull paint so it docent reflect on the windshield in the sun. Mine is original paint, and is a little glossier, due to waxing it over the years. I keep my fuzzy dice just for my dice haters.... lol.... No really I keep them there, as my mom bought them, from K-Mart, and hung them there back when I purchased the car in 1978, so there is no way I will remove them.

[@martinbeneteau309]

Hey Nicholas you're really pulling Howard's chain about his Dice! Lol. (If you notice I have my little traffic light hanging from my rear view.) You know his Mom gave them to him and he will never take them out. I had to put the bars on the tail lights. They looked empty.

[@OldCarAlley]

@@martinbeneteau309 I love my dice haters..... thats one of the two main reasons I leave them hanging from the mirror. A couple friends always threaten to rip them down and throw them out the window too. I tell them my mom will haunt them if they do! lol.

[@martinbeneteau309]

@@OldCarAlley LOL! I thought you might have a love/ hate relationship with them. Just for the record I like the dice. I remember when I had my '68 Belair I wanted to buy a pair for the rearview mirror but I never got around to it.

[@johnskogman5623]

Beautiful death traps.

[@OldCarAlley]

Yes they were built before government regulation making automobiles safer. I plan on installing seat belts in my Bel Air this coming winter.

[@davidbush5323]

Ryan from Iowa classic cars would be in his glory if he were with you two .

[@OldCarAlley]

Yep.... he's a 59 Chevy nut just like us!

[@martinbeneteau309]

David, next video Ryan puts out I'm going to make sure he's seen it. I'm subscribed to his channel too.

[@davidbush5323]

@@martinbeneteau309 every Wednesday I look forward to see what he's working on next, I'd like to see him work on a 59 el Camino, either they're hard to find or he just doesn't like them.

[@martinbeneteau309]

@@davidbush5323 Howard looks hard to find just the right project. I'm sure if it ended up being a '59 El Camino he wouldn't hesitate to buy one. After all it is a '59 Chevrolet which is his favorite vehicle.

[@OldCarAlley]

@@martinbeneteau309 Years back I was trying to buy a green and white 59 El Camino. It sat in a yard next to a big old farm house. It was in overgrown grass. There was a 46 Ford convertible and a 69 Bonneville convertible sitting in the barn, both solid but dirty and on four flats. He wouldn't sell any of them. They ended up rotting into the ground and being bulldozed in to a pile with the farm house when the property was developed into a subdivision in the early 2000's. The El Camino was in great shape when I was trying to buy it.... in the 80's. It was a six, three on the tree.

[@lt.frankdrebin3317]

Gorgeous gorgeous cars! I love that bronze color, but it needs to have original components. I'm more about originality. Too much "stuff that doesn't belong" on that otherwise fantastic car.

[@OldCarAlley]

Me too.... but he did save all the original stuff, so it could be put back to original easily.

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

Why do the tires on these cars look like they are to small for the car? I think someone made a video and answered the question but I dont remember what he said about how the size of the wide body was a little to big for the wheel size or the chassis or something but I dont remember.

[@OldCarAlley]

I think its the way cars had there tires and wheels tucked into the wheel wells making them look small, unlike todays cars having huge wheel well openings, often with the wheel almost hanging out from them. Both cars have the correct size tires and wheels that the GM factory used.

[@Gogos05]

How did he do the carpeting on the door panels as mine have rotted at the bottom, but the rest in good shape?

[@OldCarAlley]

That you would have to ask Martin, as I wouldn't have a clue how he did it.

[@paulsheehan5010]

What engines do these Bel Airs have, 283, 348?

[@OldCarAlley]

The Black and White one is a 250 hp 348, the Copper one is a 190hp 283..... it has a the 4 barrel power pack on the 283.

[@dcformee123]

When I was a little kid me and my dad went to Nelson Pontiac in El Monte California and my dad traded in his 1969 Cadillac coupe DeVille for a 1975 Pontiac Astra GT Safari station wagon on November 13th 1974 we bought that talk about a piece of junk that aluminum engine it had problems in the car with 6 months old when we took a trip from California to Oklahoma it broke down overheated which warped the block that engine was never the same my dad traded it in 3 years later for a Granada much better car love the videos weird that you had the same kind of car just to Chevy version I'll talk to you later you hopefully you're feeling better and I see you got your tooth replaced right on looking sexy lol

[@OldCarAlley]

Yes, I had a partial denture made, as I was missing a few upper teeth, so it was hard to chew. It fits good, so I ware it most of the time..... that way I don't feel like a pumpkin....lol.

[@dcformee123]

Yes I have some issues with my teeth too this covid thing messed it all up trying to get it done for it already 2 years now it's been a nightmare.

[@dcformee123]

🎃👻

[@OldCarAlley]

@@dcformee123 I had to wait a couple years to get the needed dental work done and the partial denture made, due to covid. Covid messes everything up! Covid is the reason I skipped my physical back in 2020, missing a chance to find my prostate cancer in the early stages, when it might have been more treatable.

[@dcformee123]

@@OldCarAlley please tell me you're feeling better and that cancer is not getting a hold of you cuz that was just ruin everything I enjoy your video so much. now that I've moved to Oklahoma there ain't much to do. I don't have any friends here or anybody and I've been having problems with my foot I have an ulcer so I have a wound VAC on the stupid foot so I have to carry this bag around everywhere I go and then not to mention a couple teeth missing as you know so it's just a wonderful thing can't go out can't find anybody to hang out with or whatever LOL so a little boring and depressing.but you keep hanging in there!

[@peters8583]

I thought dis is a impala!!!

[@OldCarAlley]

Nope, both are Bel Air's.

[@joserafaelgrangefuenmayor7744]

Me gusta el carro; Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan 1959; mi abuelo tuvo uno así; pero negro con el techo blanco está muy bonito; cuando se estabilize todo en Venezuela mi país; cuándo pueda si Dios quiere; voy a traer un carro así; para aprender a manejar y mantenerlo; es un excelente automóvil; mi abuelo tuvo uno así hace mucho tiempo; mi abuelo tuvo uno así; pero del lado derecho; están muy bonitos los dos carros; están conservados con el paso del tiempo; me gustan los dos carros; son muy bonitos; cuándo pueda si Dios quiere; voy a mandar a traer un carro así; pero con Aire Acondicionado; para aprender a manejar y mantenerlo; para no tenerlo cómo carro por puesto,ni taxi; tampoco para hacer viajes; solamente para sacarlo de vez en cuándo; para sacar a pasear a mis amigas; es un Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan 1959; saludos y buenas noches.

[@plymouth491]

Ugh, what did I do to deserve this? These are absolutely hideous.

[@OldCarAlley]

LOL.... no one made you watch it!

[@johnskogman5623]

They lasted around 3 to 4 yrs. Bad quality.

[@OldCarAlley]

If they're bad quality, why did they last 45 years? Most cars of that era would go 100,000 miles with ease. My Bel Air has over 200,000 miles. Lets see your Toyota last that long!

[@Wixom2200]

I have had maybe 35 classic cars, flipped some did almost complete ground up on some. This year Chevy to me is not that sharp. We all have to stop trying to make every 60 year old car a classic. Does the Edsel come to mind? There were some ugly cars put out over the last 80 years. Not all are classics. These cars ARE NOT sharp. Sorry. Peace.

[@OldCarAlley]

Everyone likes and dislikes certain types of cars.... styling is in the eye of the beholder. Thats what I enjoy abut all the different cars made. I have done over 50 cars now, and loved e'm all. The 59 Chevy is "my" favorite all time car, as I love the wild styling.... but thats just me. Funny you mention the 58 Edsel.... I love them too. What's your favorite car? Everyone has one.